Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Orestis Delardas, Panagiotis Giannos
Summary: This study compares the productivity trends and scholarly impact of COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 literature, and finds a significant increase in the impact factor and citation rates of COVID-19 publications. However, the inflated IFs may create ambiguity as benchmark tools for assessing scholarly impact, affecting the perceived value and trust in journal IFs by academia and society.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Zehra Taskin, Guleda Dogan, Emanuel Kulczycki, Alesia Ann Zuccala
Summary: The research found that the rankings of high-impact factor journals are not affected by self-citation rates, but for other journals, even the removal of a single self-citation can lead to significant rank changes. Self-citation patterns are common in local language journals and journals from upper-middle-income European countries. It is important to use impact factors more carefully in research performance evaluations, especially when variables such as journal size, publication language, publisher country, and subject area are correlated with self-citation rates.
JOURNAL OF INFORMETRICS
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Liwei Zhang, Liang Ma
Summary: The study suggests that open data policies have a significant impact on journals, significantly increasing the citation rates of articles. Mandatory open data can help journals enhance their reputation and academic influence.
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Shahadat Uddin, Arif Khan, Haohui Lu
Summary: Research on COVID-19 has seen significant growth in recent years and has been a dominant topic in health-related publications. This study explores the impact of COVID-19 research on journal performance using the Impact Factor and six years of data. The results show that journals publishing COVID-19-related articles experienced a significant increase in their Impact Factor, with lower Impact Factor journals contributing the most to this growth. It suggests that journals prioritizing COVID-19 research may experience increased visibility and Impact Factor growth in the long term.
JOURNAL OF INFORMETRICS
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Vicente Gea-Caballero, Regina Ruiz de Vinaspre-Hernandez, Carlos Saus-Ortega, Luis Celda-Belinchon, Ivan Santolalla-Arnedo, Elena Marques-Sule, Raul Juarez-Vela
Summary: This study analyzed the representation of male and female as editors and authors in nursing research articles published in scientific journals. It found that there is an over-representation of men in editor roles in prestigious nursing journals and a higher proportion of male authors in key authorship positions.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Information Science & Library Science
Mona Farouk Ali
Summary: This study analyzed the indicators of 58 LIS journals in JCR and Scopus databases, finding strong positive correlations among them. CiteScore is the best indicator that can be interchangeably used with IF, and stakeholders should consider the correlations among various indicators when assessing the scientific quality of LIS journals.
LEARNED PUBLISHING
(2021)
Editorial Material
Critical Care Medicine
Filippo Sanfilippo, Stefano Tigano, Alberto Morgana, Paolo Murabito, Marinella Astuto
Summary: The study analyzed policies regarding authors' self-citation in Critical Care Medicine journals and found that only a small number of journals had restrictions on excessive self-citation, with those journals having higher impact factors. The rate of journals' self-citation varied greatly among CCM journals, with higher rates observed in topic-specific interest CCM journals.
JOURNAL OF INTENSIVE CARE
(2021)
Article
Business, Finance
Charles H. Cho, Tiphaine Jerome, Jonathan Maurice
Summary: This study analyzes the influence of environmental accounting researchers among the most cited accounting authors and the consideration given to environmental issues in management journal rankings. It finds that environmental accounting researchers have influence but mainly publish in non-top-tier journals, while some environment-themed journals face disadvantages in rankings.
SUSTAINABILITY ACCOUNTING MANAGEMENT AND POLICY JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Yves Fassin
Summary: The effectiveness of peer review selection versus bibliometric assessment in research evaluation is compared, with the h-index identified as the best predictor for FT membership. The Journal Impact Factor is not suitable for predicting FT inclusion, while the SJR indicator seems to be more representative for economics journals. The FT50 demonstrates stability in top-tier journal rankings, covering a good balance of subfields and allowing for innovation and practitioner journals.
Article
Medical Ethics
Salim Moussa
Summary: This study investigates 18 journals that have been suppressed from the Journal Citation Reports multiple times, and finds that excessive self-citations are the main reason for their suppression. Two of these journals have lost their JIF status, and one has changed its title. Among the remaining 16 journals, 12 have significantly reduced their self-citation rates. However, two of these journals are still experiencing a cycle of suppression, and one of them is currently using JIF boosting strategies that have not yet been banned by Clarivate.
ACCOUNTABILITY IN RESEARCH-ETHICS INTEGRITY AND POLICY
(2023)
Article
Orthopedics
Madhan Jeyaraman, Preethi Selvaraj, Abhishek Vaish, Karthikeyan P. Iyengar, Raju Vaishya
Summary: This study compares and assesses the journal-level metrics (JLM) of Medical and Surgical journals, and finds that Medical journals have higher JLM and receive more citations than Surgical journals. Additionally, there has been a steady increase in publications after the COVID-19 pandemic.
INTERNATIONAL ORTHOPAEDICS
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Joao Andre Sousa, Ines Alexandra Alves, Helena Donato, Joao Sargento-Freitas
Summary: This study qualitatively assessed the usage of Twitter by stroke journals and found that tweeted stroke articles tend to have higher citation rates, which can be predicted by the number of tweets.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF STROKE
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Syed Sikandar Raza, Ammar Asban, James Donahue, Benjamin Wei
Summary: This study finds that cardiothoracic fellowship program websites lack important content that is highly valued by applicants and suggests the need for a single comprehensive data repository or standardized method for communicating information.
ANNALS OF THORACIC SURGERY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Adrian Poignant
Summary: The rapid expansion of small-scale mining in sub-Saharan Africa has raised concerns about its impact on the local economy. This study examines the impact of small-scale gold mining on agricultural production decisions in rural households in northwestern Tanzania. Contrary to expectations, households tend to allocate fewer resources to agriculture and produce less output when small-scale gold mining sites emerge nearby. However, there is suggestive evidence that exposure to small-scale gold mining leads to an increase in household consumption, with no adverse effects on schooling or child health.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Valentijn R. N. Pauwels
Summary: Despite being criticized, the Impact Factor (IF) remains widely used but lacks thorough investigation in the Water Resources category. This study analyzed the citation records of top 10 journals from 2002 through 2021 and found inconsistencies in the Web of Science database. The correlation between citations and IF has increased, but highly cited papers at IF calculation time are often lowly cited afterward, raising doubts about the metric's usefulness.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2023)
Editorial Material
Immunology
Ferric C. Fang, Robert T. Schooley
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Joyce E. Karlinsey, Angela M. Fung, Norah Johnston, Howard Goldfine, Stephen J. Libby, Ferric C. Fang
Summary: Cyclopropanation of membrane lipids enhances stress resistance and virulence in Salmonella bacteria.
INFECTION AND IMMUNITY
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Jiawei Sun, Steven T. Rutherford, Thomas J. Silhavy, Kerwyn Casey Huang
Summary: This review discusses the emerging physical and mechanical properties of the Gram-negative outer membrane, revealing a more expansive and versatile role in cellular physiology and viability. Recent studies have uncovered key molecular factors and interactions through experimental and computational research, while advancements in microfluidics and microscopy have contributed to a better understanding of the structural, rheological, and mechanical properties of the outer membrane. These findings suggest broader connections between cellular structure and physiology, with future prospects for elucidating the implications of outer membrane construction for cellular fitness and survival.
NATURE REVIEWS MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ashton N. Combs, Thomas J. Silhavy
Summary: This study reveals a novel role for the periplasmic chaperone Skp in the folding of outer membrane proteins (OMPs) in gram-negative bacteria. Skp removes membrane-integration-defective OMP substrates from the beta-barrel assembly machine (Bam) complex, allowing for clearance of stalled Bam-OMP complexes. Furthermore, Skp acts as an adaptor protein to facilitate the degradation of defective OMP substrates by the periplasmic protease DegP. These findings highlight the importance of Skp in ensuring efficient beta-barrel folding.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Natividad Ruiz, Thomas J. Silhavy
Summary: Escherichia coli, as a well-studied organism, has played a significant role in the development of biochemical genetics and molecular biology. Its suitability for biochemical and genetic research, along with the conservation of processes found in complex organisms, contributed to its selection as a model organism.
JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Clemens M. Gehrer, Alexander Hoffmann, Richard Hilbe, Philipp Grubwieser, Anna-Maria Mitterstiller, Heribert Talasz, Ferric C. Fang, Esther G. Meyron-Holtz, Sarah H. Atkinson, Gunter Weiss, Manfred Nairz
Summary: The sequestration of iron in case of infection is a strategy of host defense, but the function of ferritin in bacterial infections is not fully understood. Iron bound to ferritin is less available to Salmonella, but still enhances bacterial growth significantly. Superoxide dismutase may weaken bacterial iron uptake from ferritin by siderophore-independent mechanisms.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Esther Ndungo, Johanna B. Holm, Syze Gama, Andrea G. Buchwald, Sharon M. Tennant, Miriam K. Laufer, Marcela F. Pasetti, David A. Rasko
Summary: Shigella continues to be a major contributor to diarrheal illness and dysentery in children under 5 in low- and middle-income countries. This study explored the impact of Shigella infection on the developing gastrointestinal microbiome in infants and found temporal changes in the microbiota associated with the infection. These findings highlight the need for further research on the microbial communities associated with disease susceptibility and resolution.
Article
Microbiology
Girmay Desalegn, Neeraj Kapoor, Lucy Pill-Pepe, Leslie Bautista, Lu Yin, Esther Ndungo, Edwin V. Oaks, Jeff Fairman, Marcela F. Pasetti
Summary: Shigella is responsible for high burdens of global diarrhea and dysentery, especially affecting children in endemic areas. Currently, there are no licensed vaccines to prevent shigellosis. This study reports a novel Shigella OPS conjugate vaccine that uses the Shigella invasion plasmid antigen B (IpaB) as the carrier protein, showing promising immune response and protective antigen properties.
Article
Hematology
Shannon Herzog, Daniel J. Weisdorf, Ryan Shanley, Ahmad Rayes, Shernan G. Holtan, Jo-Anne Young, Margaret L. MacMillan, Najla El Jurdi
Summary: Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is a significant limitation to the success of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). A study was conducted to assess the incidence, risk factors, and clinical outcomes of cGVHD in patients with previous acute GVHD (aGVHD) response groups (steroid-sensitive, steroid-resistant, and steroid-dependent) compared to those with no history of aGVHD. The study identified steroid-dependent and steroid-resistant aGVHD as significant independent risk factors for the development of cGVHD, while steroid-sensitive aGVHD was not a risk factor. The findings suggest that previous aGVHD response states are important predictors of cGVHD severity and outcomes.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Joshua A. Hill, Michael J. Martens, Jo-Anne H. Young, Kavita Bhavsar, Jianqun Kou, Min Chen, Lik Wee Lee, Aliyah Baluch, Madhav Dhodapkar, Ryotaro Nakamura, Kristin Peyton, Zainab Shahid, Paul Armistead, Peter Westervelt, John McCarty, Joseph McGuirk, Mehdi Hamadani, Susan DeWolf, Kinga Hosszu, Elad Sharon, Ashley Spahn, Amir A. Toor, Stephanie Waldvogel, Lee M. Greenberger, Jeffery J. Auletta, Mary M. Horowitz, Marcie L. Riches, Miguel-Angel Perales
Summary: The optimal timing for SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients within the first year after HCT remains uncertain. This prospective study enrolled participants who initiated SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations within 12 months of HCT and found no significant differences in antibody levels and T-cell responses between those who started vaccinations <4 months versus 4-12 months after HCT.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Randi L. Guest, Michael J. Lee, Wei Wang, Thomas J. Silhavy
Summary: The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria is unique and important for its structural and functional characteristics. The lipid asymmetry creates mechanical strength and lowers membrane permeability. The Mla pathway is responsible for removing mislocalized glycerophospholipids from the outer membrane. Pseudomonas aeruginosa has two proteins, PA2800 and PA3239, of the MlaA family.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Irina V. Mikheyeva, Jiawei Sun, Kerwyn Casey Huang, Thomas J. Silhavy
Summary: This study demonstrates that loss of BamD in Escherichia coli leads to reduction in outer membrane proteins (OMPs), weakening the outer membrane and altering cell shape. This results in outer membrane rupture in spent medium. In response to the loss of OMPs, phospholipids flip into the outer leaflet, creating tension between the membrane leaflets and contributing to membrane rupture. Suppressor mutations that halt phospholipid removal prevent rupture but do not restore membrane stiffness or normal cell shape, suggesting a possible connection between outer membrane stiffness and cell shape.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Letter
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Georgina Benn, Thomas J. Silhavy, Colin Kleanthous, Bart W. Hoogenboom
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kathryn A. Macgillivray, Siu Lung Ng, Sophia Wiesenfeld, Randi L. Guest, Tahrima Jubery, Thomas J. Silhavy, William C. Ratcliff, Brian K. Hammer
Summary: The study reveals that populations of Escherichia coli, when subjected to T6SS attack by Vibrio cholerae, evolved to better survive the attack through two convergently evolved pathways. However, these mutations come with trade-offs, reducing cellular growth rates and increasing susceptibility to antibiotics and elevated pH.
Article
Microbiology
Arturo Casadevall, Ferric Fang
Summary: Decisions involving cooperation or competition are common in science. This article examines three common scenarios in biomedical sciences – establishing priority, sharing reagents, and selecting a journal for publication – using the prisoner's dilemma as a framework. In each situation, cooperation is found to be the optimal strategy for scientists and for the advancement of science.
